This super simple salad plays on the sweet flavors of mangoes in season.
Mango season is an event in India, and I plan to eat at least my body weight in the fruit. There are numerous varieties, each with their own flavor and texture, however, none of them come close to the flavor, aroma and color of the Alphonso mango. Click here for more information on Alphonso mangoes.
For this salad you need mangoes that are just ripe, they provide a firm texture and a touch of sour, to ripe mangoes that are sweet and mushy. This salad is bright with flavors. Sweet from the mangoes, spicy from the Thai chiles and tangy from the lime juice. The first bite should be both spicy and addictive. By the time you are finished with this addictive mango salad your lips will be tingling and you will have a sheen of sweat on your forehead. Of course you can adjust the spice to suit your palate.
This is a fabulous cookbook on Vietnamese cuisine from the chef and owner of the famed Slanted Door restaurant in San Francisco. The recipes are very authentic and every recipe I have cooked from it turns out amazing. I highly recommend this cookbook to those who want to ty and master Vietnamese cooking.
For more wonderful recipes from this cookbook, click here.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1-2 red Thai chilies, very finely minced, or to taste
Salt to taste
Juice of 1/2-1 lime
A few drops fish sauce
4 large ripe mangoes, see introduction
Ground cayenne pepper, to taste if required
Mint, finely minced (optional)
Lettuce, shredded (optional)
Add the sugar, garlic, chilies and salt to a mortar and pestle and pound to a smooth paste.
Remove the mango flesh from the seeds and skin in small pieces, lots of YouTube videos for those who do not know how to do this. Mix with all the ingredients and set aside for the flavors to come together for at least 2 hours in the fridge. Taste for spice, it should be spicy, sweet and sour.
To serve, you can serve this As is for a traditional dish. I sometimes add shredded mint as an option. I also serve this salad on a bed of shredded lettuce as an additional option. It is a fabulous salad in either presentation.